Advancing scholarship on anti‐racism within developmental science: Reflections on the special section and recommendations for future research

Abstract

To date, theoretical and conceptual scholarship on anti‐racism has been advanced through leading contributions from several disciplines (e.g., sociology, education, psychology). Still, there remain fewer empirical studies on anti‐racism constructs, and we know little about the development of anti‐racism among diverse youth across key stages of development. In this special section of Child Development, we sought to address this gap by highlighting scholarship in developmental science that attends to the development of anti‐racism in children across contexts (e.g., families, schools) and developmental stages (e.g., early childhood through emerging adulthood). In our introduction to the special section, we review the collective contributions of included studies and outline recommendations for future research in the development of anti‐racism in youth.

Dismantling systems of racism and oppression during adolescence: An agenda for anti‐racist research

“…According to Kendi (2019, p. 20), anti‐racism consists of beliefs that racial groups are “equals in all their apparent differences” and, that racial inequalities exist due to racist policies; anti‐racism also consists of policies (written or unwritten) that produce or sustain equity between racial groups. Scholars of adolescent development have also offered definitions of anti‐racism, such as Aldana et al (2019, p. 370), who conceptualized anti‐racism as “a continuous process of change to eradicate racism” and Cooper, Hurd and Loyd (2022, p. 620) who emphasized that anti‐racism is not simply the absence of racism but “an awareness and understanding of racism and how it operates across multiple systems and levels, as well as recognizing and challenging racist beliefs (implicit and explicit) and ideologies through sustained action.” Bañales and Rivas‐Drake (2022, p. 1) defined anti‐racist actions as those that “actively challenge racism on the different levels through which racism permeates (e.g., individual, community, institutional, structural).” Extrapolating from these definitions, anti‐racist research involves understanding and situating racism within societal systems and policies and conducting research that aims to challenge and eradicate racism. Anti‐racist research is thus essential to the work of dismantling systems of racism and oppression.…”

“…Anti-racist research is thus essential to the work of dismantling systems of racism and oppression. In addition to our special series, at least two other special issues in adolescent development journals have brought attention to anti-racist research recently: Kornbluh et al (2021aKornbluh et al ( , 2021b in the Journal of Adolescent Research and Cooper, Hurd and Loyd (2022) in Child Development. Outside of published scholarship, the Society for Research on Adolescent Development (n.d.) has centered anti-racism in the mission and practices of the organization and the Society for Research in Child Development (2020a) increased attention to anti-racist research through its 2020 webinar.…”

Transformational family science: Praxis, possibility, and promise

“…For example, cons Attachment & Human Development 's issue on attachment perspectives on race, prejudice, and anti‐racism (J. A. Stern et al, 2022); the Journal of Social Issues volume on psychology, history, and social justice (Hunter & Stewart, 2015); Child Development 's special segment on advancing scholarship on anti‐racism within developmental science (Cooper et al, 2022); and JFTR 's issues on revisioning family theories, centering race and ethnicity (Few‐Demo, 2018), and on social justice in family science (A. G. James & McGeorge, 2019). Public health contributions to understanding the social determinants of health, including systemic racism, racial stressors, and discrimination, have also conferred a kind of “scientific legitimacy” to investigate multiple pathways through which race, as a social location, and racism impact well‐being (Williams & Rucker, 2000; Yearby, 2020).…”

Introduction to the special issue on theorizing families, anti‐racism, and social justice

“…Although this issue is a first of its kind collaboration, we acknowledge the critical contributions of many scholars (e.g., Allen, 1978; Anderson, 2019; Billingsley, 1968; Collins, 1986; Du Bois, 2016 [1903]), prior related special issues and collections (e.g., Buehler & Few‐Demo, 2018; James & McGeorge, 2019; Murry et al, 2001), and those additional special issues published around the same time (e.g., Cooper et al, 2022) as this volume. We also acknowledge the related efforts by many within NCFR (e.g., the Inclusion and Diversity Committee, Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Families Section, Social Justice Focus Group).…”